SESSION 1.

BREATHE

Your breath is Areminder of your being.

A reflection of the state of your mind.

Belly breathingThe natural way to breathe. More efficient. More relaxed. More centred. It’s how babies breathe.

Nostril breathingYour nose is designed for breathing. The air is cleaned and warmed. You can control your breath more easily.

Active exhalation with passive inhalationYour out breath helps to balance your Autonomic Nervous System, reducing stress. By emptying your lungs of all the old air you can fill them more easily, making your breathing more effective.

The breath stills, the mind stillsAt the top and bottom of your inhalations and exhalations there is a natural, short pause where the breath stills for a moment. Notice how the mind also stills.

The inner breathBy creating a slight hissing sound in the back of your throat you can internalise your breath. This calms the systems of the body and improves focus and attention on the moment.

The full breathWith a three-part inhalation you breathe from the belly up into the chest and shoulders, then exhale slowly and deeply first from the chest and then from the belly. The exhalation should last twice as long as the inhalation.

Alternate nostril breathingBreathing in through one nostril and out through the other. This exercise helps to balance the two sides of the brain creating a feeling of calm, focus and clarity. Often used as a preparation for formal meditation.

Practice lying down, in an upright seated position, whilst walking or whenever you feel the need. In time your breathing will naturally revert to a healthy relaxed rhythm.

Audio Tracks

Practice

Every day practice your breathing formally three times.Early morning, before lunch and early evening.Five minutes per session.Progress through the tracks above at your own pace.By the end of a week you should feel confident in the techniques with and without the audio tracks.